Apparatus for sealing tins, canisters, jars, and the like under vacuum



`o. LEGG 2,333,799 APPARATUS FOR SEALINz TINS, CANISTERS,- JARS AND THELIKE UNDER VACUUM Nov. 9, 1943.

Filed May '7, 1940 3 Sheets-SheetI 1 Oscav LEeG' Nov. 9, 1943. QLEGG2,333,799

APPARATUS FOR SEALING TINS, CANISTERS, JARS AND THE LIKE UND Filed May7, 1940 En VACUUM s sheets-Sheet 2 Osea r Le ec',

INVENTD qu ATTI?.

NOV. 9, 1943. Q EGG 2,333,799` APPARATUS FOR SEALING TINS, GANIsTERs,-JARS AND THE LIKE UNDER VACUUM Filed May 7, '1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 @I@senr Legg INVENTOQ T @.1 @QkwL Patented Nov. 9, 1943 APPARATUS-'FonSEALINGl `TINS,` oANIs- "IrJEMRs, JARS, ANDTHE LIKEUNDER vAcU- vOscarLegg, Sunbury-one'lhames, England `lApiieationfMay 7, 194o`," seria1 N.333,722 V n monat Britain May 18,1939( o y Claim,` '('Cl.226'82)- Thisinvention relates to vacuum sealing-ap,-v

paratus for securing covers on containersunder vacuum. It has alreadybeen proposed toprovide apparatus of this vtype comprising avacuum`chamber into which alv plurality ofcontainers 1 with their coversloosely in positionare-inserted through a suitable opening `in one sideafter which f the opening is hermetically 'sealed/by ,a

suitable door and a vacuumproduced indthe chamber and consequently inthecontainers. Pressureis .then applied to the covers by causing arelative movement between the;containers and a `pressure .plate arrangedabove them in :the chamber. 'Finally air or gas is admittedinto thelcharnbei so that the covers are hermetically `sealed on .the containersby atmospheric pressure,

the containers are relieved from the pressure of .the pressure plate,the door opened andthe `containers removed from the chamber.

In order to save time vit has been foundrpreferable tolprovide openingsAiniopposite sides of the chamber so that Aa batch of `containersxcan beremovedfrom one sidewhile a fresh batclr is being inserted in theopposite sideo In apparatus of this type which hasbeen,employedheretofore,f Vthe `doors for the openings have i beenmounted constructed in accordance wthmy invention-and Figure 2is asideelevation of the apparatus. Figures 3, 4,3 and 5M are detail viewsshowing `the valveA and the connections to` it controlling the finalclosing of the doors andthe evacuation of the vacuum chamber. Figure v6is a detail view of` thedrelease valve of the hydraulic jack.`

The apparatus shown in the drawings cornprises aV vacuum chamber havinga `front wall l,

back` wall, 2, topliandA bottom 4. Theopposite Y v sides ofthechanfibei` are open andare arranged to beher'metica'lly closed bydoors 5V andf. The ldoors are .provided with' outwardlyl projectingAstuds 1 which are tted to. slide in holes in' l arms 8 secured on-theopposite ends of a shaft 9 which `isi-journallecln .across theVv back ofthe vacuum Vchamber on the frame I0 which' supports the apparatus..-Weights Il `aresecured tothe shaft 9 to cQunterbaIaIieJthe doorssofthat they can ybe moved easily in a direction transverse tothe.openings in the sides of the chamber by means .of a handle l2projecting from one of the arms ,8 to a position. whichis readilyaccessibleat the ,liront ofthe apparatus. Springsl3lar'e 'arrangedI,from the open sides of the vacuum chamber so so that they can be movedVsimultaneously trans` f versely acrossthe` open-ends ofthe chamber be-1tween a position-.in alignmentwithV the openings and al position clearofthe openings and means have beeny provided for moving rst one door andthen vthe. other in a directionnorxnal tothe `plane of the openings tobring `them into and out of sealing position, said ,means being-ioperated from the two opposite sides of the appiljatus thus making itnecessary forA thejoperator` to] move from one side of,` the apparatust9.; 1fhe otherto seal and unseal the doors, whilefmeansfor controllingthe vacuum in the chamber and the pressure applied to the coversofthe-containers have been` arranged at' `the yfront voithe apparatus.Consequently a considerable amount of time has been required to efiectthe `several operations. The object of the present invention is,to-provide improvedapparatus of the abovementioned type having simplefand reliable means for con- ;trolling the movements ofthe doors, theproducing of the vacuum in the chamber and the application ofdpressureon the covers ofthe containers from `a singlek position;

Aiurther object of theinventionfis to provide an apparatus, which is ofrobust "construction and is reliable in operation.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a front elevation of apreferred form of apparatus piston rods lil-.behind the heads IT..

on the; studs'fiy to `bias the Adoors 5 and faway that they 1 can movefreelyacross the openings between a position` clear of the openings anda `position inalignment withthem.

l Each door 5 and 6. providedwithl a. pair of catch plates i4 and I5,one at the.,topiand vone at'the-bottom and each catch platel is provideda notch i6 arrangedto engage `behind a head Il on a piston rod I8projecting mfrom ,a pis- Itonjarranged toreciprocate in a cylinder I9.vThe cylinders I SareV secured on the outside of the chamber in suchaLposition` thatthe piston 4rods engage inthenotches IB and actas stops,to hold the.` doors incorrect alignmentwith the openings which theyaretoseal. The Cylinders 4on`tl1e. top of the chamberare'set-back sothat the heads .IN1 `de ,notproject into thetransverse path of movement-of .the doors `and the'upper catch p lateslL are cranked inwards,asshownsat` 2,0

to enable theknotches I6 inthem to; [engage the {Ihe vacuum chamber, isconnected with" any s itable vacuum means by a suction pipe 2`I` havingaicontrol valve 22 ,operated by a rod 23 which is mounted to extend tothe front offthechamber Awljier'e "itis provided with fanjoperating'wheei 24. l Th'e control valve comprisesa valve 'casingprovided with aperipherarport 22a,` communicating with the cylinders I9through pipes 25, a peripheral port 22h communicating with the vacuumWhen the valve member isfturnedlto the p'ofsil', y tion shown in Fig. 3,the opening ``24a'registers` 'f -v with the port 22a and a vacuum isproduced in the cylinders I9 to draw the pistonsfinward-.Ibe-

fore the vacuum chamber is connected to the ably provided with strips ofpacking insertedfin grooves on 'their inner ffaces as"in'zicatedA at 25in 'Fi'g.;2'.` The Wheel'24 is then'givena `further turnthr'oughiQWtothe position'shown in to connect thevacuum 4'cha-rriber withthevacu'u'm means,A As will beseenfrom Fig."4, intliispesif tionofthe'valve, the opening 24h registerswith theport122b. y -Y hfplatformy 21 `forA supporting the containers ,tobeseal'ed is 'arrangedtof'be reciprocated vertiand 6 inwards in a direction normal to theplanes f on the sides of the Vacuum chamber to seal the y openings.rTheturning of the wheel 2li-is continued until the Vacuum chamber isconnected with the vacuum means, as shown in Figure 4, through ports22h, 24h to produce a vacuum in the I`chamber...and: consequently .Ainthey containers in the chamber. The handle 35 is then turned to closethe release valve 3`2"a`d admit'uid through 'ton to raise the platform21 with the containers vacuum means. The inwardmovementiotherpiston rodsI8 draws the doors inwards to here* metically close the openings in thesides of lthe chamber, forwlch purpose the doorsvare prefern-.=untilthefcovers`fare.pressed against thev top of tlierchanibetoipressthem rmly into sealing position on the containers. turned to-thepositionshown in Figure 5 to admit fair or gasnto the chamber through portsZic,y 231), 221a; 22b!and f-thereafter, through a, further `-9'0?Vtofa'initiair to the cylinders IS through ports 22e,- 2 a,2'24b, 22a inorder to release the doors 5 and 6. The springs I3 on the studs 1 drawthe ydoers :away 4:imm: the openingsfwhen zztheyi areyreleased'fandiliffdesired springsA fmay also/'bean rangedbehmdthefpistozisrin the; cylinders I 9' fm press @the pfstonfirodsIioutwards tbkeepi: them isr mountedI ontheupper end 'of apiStOnro'ii278 whichristted to' slide `in an air tight manner through"anopeninginthe bottom 4`of the chamjnjeoted' to `a pistonA mounted toreciprocatein'fa 'cylinder 29 to which fluid under `pressure'i-s'Hs'upL 'pliedb'y'ajpump 3Ilfoperatedby an electric rn'otnr 31 mounted-on the framelIbeneaththej'vacuum chamber. K'Ifhe supply 0i" `iiuid tothe'cylind'er'29 Lbelow the piston-toraise the platform 2'1='^'i's"controll'edmby ka A'release valve 32 connectedrb'y links AL13 and a"rod*3`4with'an operating'handle*351on the ffrontV of the-apparatus. VA vacuumgauge 35"and 'a .pressure gaugeg31`are mountednn the ifrontfof'lthe:apparatus and 'an inspectionfiwin- "dowiB', fisprovided" in the frontlwall of v'the -vajouumpham'ben vThe 'release valve 32v is o'f knownconstruction andkisl not 'form -a 'part'foffthe Ipresentv invention;When lthis :valve is fopened, 'f

yj piston `vin cylinder 29, andthe weight oithefplatfform""2`1 isfthensu'icient tov press the? piston The operatio'nrof'f the apparatus 'isasf'follows: r JThecoiitainers Withk their covers looslyfin 'placearepreferablyarranged on trays lo'faf'con- I lvement" size h to pass`through the 'open sides of the jvacuum "chamber:

The' operator 4open'sf-the dors 5 and '6 simultaneously by raisingjtlie"-'han die "I2. "A traycontaining 'a' clfiarge'of containers is"insertedthrough one; side opening'-'onjto the `plat"form` 21 and thedoors brought intofa'lign- 'meritwithithe 'openings by1r u1lir ig thehandle downntil the 'notches7V I6-rengage the pistonrods `l l I8 behindAthe *headsl'h The Wheelj'2`4- is'fthen 'tui'nedto vbring-thevalvemember-to the position shown in Figure 3 whereupon thevcylinders-I9 are 'connected :with the vacuum meansV t'hrolilgh 'arrangedin-:positions arccessiieefrene o'f "the apparatus 'for controlli'rigtliemovements v of the doors,`the movement'ofI;l1eseIidl pressure-thjenlmoved :transversal awayffrom 'the vopenings '1W rasingtlfeffhandlefrl 2; :the containers are'ire moved :from 'thezopeningsatVonesi'de"'andfresh icharg'e of icontainers insertedfatzth oppositefside:The trays-carrying :the ncontainers may beacon A Veyedtoitlreopeningfatfone'sidefand carriedaway the covers bythefactionefftheipumpro' andthe -cylinderffi-'s lprovidecl Withifthef4usual regulating valv'lfor-'fadjusting thisvipressure; ,f yThe vacuumigaugeeovinelic'ateswthe .degree lof ava'cuum,prortiiuceii'rirrtheNac-mimfclfarnber;` ff .v Wha/trl Claim iS 's x Kt;"1; t iznlnfzappar-/tuscfor-isea1ing=;cbvers'=on'containers 'runderfvacuum,wmeacombination :of a; -rvacuum'Acheminer:'having':openizngs'azt opp'osite'siiesend :a -suctien1pipecrinnectrrgesaidfchamberfto vacuum shaftsjournaL-led 'oni thef'outsid'eIof E.the rms fmounte ontheiopp'ds'itet ends w1' rf rtgaorsfgfcarriedxby'saidiarmsflmeansfiorfroeiringfsaidnshrartttofmovertheudoers'itransverseiy--'rodsvproje'etijgifrrom pistons mounted-'to :reciprofc'ate inisidcylinders; shoulders'lnithelouterends eresia* piston reus `1ste-h:plates feamrieavbyfthe aber nepesiabnftee .fthe valve 32 into thecylinder 29 beneath the pisc The wheel 24y is then ngag'e"b'elfiind1sidshoulders c at iiast one a-movabiepressur -merrmerly mzsaid f

